DEAN OF AMERICAN MEDICINE
17\'lLIA 11 HENRY WELCHH AND THE HEROIC AGE OF A \IERICAN
MiEDICINE, by Simion Flexner m,id Jan1's T.boim;s iF/exnr.
'The phrase "Johns Hopkins" has for many x ears meant medicine e \with :
capital "\l". To say that a man is a graduate of that famed Baltimore institution
is to compliment him automatically. Alany men built Johns Hopkins; one of the
greatest was William Henry Welch, first member of the medical l School Faculty.
Affectionately called "Popsy", Dr. Welch became a sort of living legend at Johns
Hopkins. His eccentricities, his charm, his brilliance-these qualities endeared
the bachelor doctor to colleagues and students alike. At his death, known as the
Dean of American Mledicine, he \was no narrow specialist, but a man of broad
culture and wide interests.
Simon and James Flexner have written a full-dress biography of Dr. Welch
which, although hardly inspired, is competent and readable. Notes and documen-
tation run to more than fifty pages. The index is full. No one interested in the
history of medicine in this country can afford to miss it.
SPINNER OF LOVELY PHRASES
SHADOWS ON THE DOWN, by Alfrled Noyes.
Mr. Alfred Noyes has long been counted a poet to reckon with: a weaver
of spells, a spinner of lovely phrases, and an artist true to the high soul of man.
His new book of verse proves that the war which has wrecked England's peace
has not changed his power to cast a fine and subtle web of magic over his reader.
The man who gave us DIraikc and the haunting Sonl of Shei-rw.ood, here gives us
the old nameless, heart-catching sorcery His love of England, always apparent
in his poetry, is brought out more strongly now- as she fights for existence. There
are some superb lines describing the beauty of the English countryside, made
more poignant by contrast with the present horror. There is a moving tribute
to the R.A.F.; an elegy for Rudyard Kipling, xv-hose work he so much admired;
and a stirring poem for Trafalgar Day. For comment on the current situation.
there is an ironic ballad on the Japanese claim to have the heart of a dove of
peace-a poem even more applicable todax than it w as when Mr. Noyes wrote it.
VICTORY BOOK CAMPAIGN !
Published monthly from October to June Ib tihe I [l nilton Smith LibraryN. of the IUniversity of New Hamp-
shire. Entered :is second-cl;ass matter October1. 1 1927. at the post office at Durham. New Hlampshire, under
the act of August 24. 1912.
o?2o

u-n. ct.A

CONTINENT OF THE FUTURE
MEET THE SOUTH AMERICANS, by Carl Cro-w.
Much has been \\rittcn about promoting good will between the United
States and South America. Here is another contribution to that good neighbor
policy. Carl Crow, in his latest book Mlect the South Americans, gives us a de-
lightful, friendly, intimate portrait of our neighbors to the South. Writing with
keen insight and understanding, he touches upon the colorful life of all the South
American countries and \\rites at length about the major cities comparing and
contrasting them.
However, it is as an account of the foreign trade policy of the United States
in South America, which he thinks is a favorable one for us, that his book is
more significant. He also explodes the more-or-less v-cr-worked theory of Nazi
stronghold in South America. Vce mai or may not agree with everything Carl
Crow says, but certainly the book is provocative and therefore merits close
reading.

FOR THE GARDENER AND NON-GARDENER ALIKE
II'EEDS ARE MORE FUN, by Priscilla Hovey r'right.
VWhether you take your gardening seriously or not-whether you are a
gardener or not-\\ whether vou prefer rock gardens, old fashioned gardens, formal
gardens or none at all-\ ou will still enjoy Weeds Are More Fun by) Priscilla
Hovey Wright. No doubt she made you laugh in The Car Belongs To llother.
Now she gives us a delightfully humorous satire on the Great American Garden
.Movement or the GAGM\ (pronounced Gag'm if preferred Even if you belong
to the school who prefers to call a backyard a backyard and let it go at that-you
will realize that GAGMI is here to stay. Any\way-whether you are a gardener
or non-gardener, we recommend I 'eeds are M.ore Fun for one hour of delightful
entertainment.
GUIDE TO CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE
AMERICAN MIRROR, by Halford E. L.ccock.
If v ou are looking for a summary and review of American fiction, drama,
and poetry of the past decade-here is your book. In the American .Mirror Dr.
Halford I'. Luiccock has given us the "social, ethical and religious aspects of
American literature" from 19 0 to 1940 as reflected specifically in the fiction,
drama and poetry of America during the past ten years. Dr. Luccock has made
an interpretative sure w\\hich shoxs critical analysis, broad knowledge, keen
insight and understanding, and certainly wide reading.
He has taken a large number of books into consideration and skillfully but
briefly reviewed then giving frequent and pertinent excerpts to bring out the
social significance of each. If you are behind in your reading-and who is not-
and if vou desire a readable account and review of American literature of the
past decade, you will find Dr. Luccock's book American Mlirror an excellent guide
to contemporary literature in America.
A TONIC FOR TODAY
SOAP BEHIND THE EARS, by Cornelia Otis Skinner.
For a good evening's entertainment, pick up (ornelia Otis Skinner's latest
book, Soap behind the Ears. It is a series of naive articles about her personal
experiences. But strangely, these disagreeable experiences are common to almost
everybody and they are ones that we would rather forget. But .liss Skinner
sees the delightful\ humorous side of disagreeable experiences, and no matter
what your interests are, her comments are sure to hit \our funny bone at some
point.

PAST AND PRESENT OF AMERICA
WINDSWEPT, by Mary Ellen Chase.
For the title of her latest novel, Mary Ellen Chase has chosen the name of
her own summer home-Windswi-ept. And this by far is her greatest work. It
is the tale of a family and a house on the coast of Mainc. "Nothing commonplace
could happen here, nothing mediocre or mean," Philip \larston thought when
he first saw the land in 1880. This was the place he was looking for. It was
wilderness, miles away from villages or towns. However, Philip met with a
tragic death before the house was built, and it was left to his son, John, to carry
on from there. John inherited some of his father's vision and built a house which
was home to three generations of the Marston family.
The story matters very little in this book. It is the place IVinds-wept that
dominates. This is a book you will not w ant to miss. It is a book, beautifully
written, that you will want to read more than once and will not soon forget.
NEW PERSONALITY
NOWIF, VOYAGER, by Olive Higgins Prouty.
Did you ever wish you could change from an ordinary, everyday sort of
person and become a mysterious, glamorous someone? A different personality
in a totally new and preferable romantic environment? Now, Voyager is your
chance to watch a submissive, unattractive young woman become transformed
into a definite and interesting personality. Charlotte Vale has in her life all the
necessary elements conducive to a complete one-hundred per cent nervous break-
down. A European cruise and her recovery result in a new personality-the
whole story makes an interesting character study as well as an engrossing
romance.
BIOGRAPHY OF THE WORLD TODAY
THAT DAY ALONE, by Pierre van Paassen.
An internationally known correspondent presents in this book his observa-
tions and conclusions on the events leading to this war. Strangely enough, how-
ever, this book is fundamentally about peace; for Pierre van Paassen has not lost
faith in the spiritual rejuvenation of man, even though whole nations have been
mesmerized by the regimentation of Hitler's hordes.
Of particular, though ironic interest is the section devoted to Irrevocable
Hours, to which the world paid no heed and for which she now pays in blood.
Fortunately, one hour turned to the Allies' favor, when Hess met a pitchfork in
the hands of a loyal farmer. This book is packed cover to cover with facts as
seen by one who was there. His opinions are those of a man who is not afraid
to face issues clearly and to think them through. Only if we do the same may
we prevent the Nazi victory which, in Pierre van Paassen's eyes, will throw the
human race back a thousand years.
POPULAR PARODY
READERS DIGEST VERY LITTLE, by Irving I). Tressler.
To many people the most satisfying form of humor is parody. If you are
one of them, you surely won't want to miss Irving Tressler's new book, Readers
Digest very Little; or, The Treasury of the World's Greatest Litter. Mr. Tressler
has turned to magazine articles for his inspiration and one by one he burlesques
them all-the success story, the how-to-do-story, the how-much-do-vou-know
test, the popular science article, the woman's page on recipes and beauty hints,
the uplifting, inspirational pep-talk, and the challenging what-are-you-going-to-
do-about-it article that we all know so well. It is strictly a book for laughs.

HAVE YOU READ THESE?
BIG FAMILY, by Bellamy Partridge.
The average family today consists of five people: mother, father, and their
three children. A family of five children is considered a big one now. Well,
Bellamv Partridge is one of eight children! Maybe that isn't a good sized family.
In Country Lawy-er, Air. Partridge told about the life of his father. In this newest
book, Big F1amily, he tells of life with father, mother, seven brothers and sisters,
and a horde of relatives and friends. And it is just as amusing. Mother and Dad,
especially Mother, had very definite ideas concerning the upbringing of children.
Mother took care of the religion, clothes, cleanliness, and entertainment. Dad
was concerned \\ ith punctuality, music, and penmanship. Many delightful in-
cidents happened in the life of "The Big Family". And you'll enjoy all of them.
The more the merrier certainly proved to be true in his case.
I FILD IS THE RI VER, by Louis Bromnficid.
In this, his latest novel, Mr. Bromfield returns to the American scene for
the first time since he published The Farm/ in 1933. For the setting inlVild is the
River, he turns to the exotic, alluring, gaudily colored life of New Orleans \\hen
Northern troops occupied the city during the Civil War days. Tom Bedloe, the
hot-blooded, headstrong young hero, has come south w ith the Army of Occupa-
tion. He finds here a curious kinship with the old and beautiful city. Two
women, as ruthless, cruel, and headstrong as himself, form an accompaniment to
his soldier's duties until Agnes Wicks, Tom's prim-appearing fiancee from Boston
decides to go to New Orleans to rescue Tom from the wiles of the enchanted
city. It is a story, rich and colorful, exhuberant and robust, that brings to life
a baroque civilization against a background of one of the most dramatic periods
of American history.
MURDER FOR PLEASURE; THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE DETECTIVE
STORY, by Howard Haycraft.
If you're one of the millions who read detective stories, you'll surely agree
that Murder for Pleasutre by Howard Havcraft is a rewarding book of rare value
and interest. For in spite of the fact that detective fiction accounts for one
quarter of the novels published, there has hitherto been almost no attempt to
evaluate the form or to see Nwhat makes it tick.
Howard Havcraft has given us here a history of the detective story from
1841-wvhen Edgar Allen Poe published the first of all detective stories. Muirdter
in the Rue lMorgtue-down to the present time. He runs the gamut of all the
writers of detective stories-Edgar Allen Poe, Sherlock Holmes, Philo Vance,
Hercule Poirot, Dorothy Savers, Dashiell Hammett, and all the rest. The mis-
cellaneous material at the end of the book-A detective story bookshelf; Dictators,
democrats, and detectives; The future of the detective story; A comprehensive
detective story quiz; and Who's who in detection-will make the true detective
story "fan" jump with joy.
V...- VICTORY BOOK CAMPAIGN V .
This month a nation wide Victory Book Campaign to collect books for our
armed forces and our merchant marine gets under way. Books of all kinds are
needed. Biography, travel, mathematics, technical books of recent date and
current affairs suggest a few topics now in demand. Fiction, of course, is very
popular.
Your cooperation is essential to the success of this worthy enterprise. In your
community collection centers will be established where your contributions may
be taken. Give all you can-and Keep 'em Reading!